Oil burner



Dec. 17, 1929. M. J. BINKLIEY 1,740,062

OIL BURNER Original Filed April 13 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 um/"box M a ammo/ts junk M M. J. BINKLEY OIL BURNER Dec. 17, 1929.

Original Filed April 15. 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 W, Va mz w OIL BURNER Original Filed April 15. 1926 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Dec. 111929 UNITED PATENT OFFICE TIN J BINKLEY, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO OALOROIL BURNER CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE OIL BURNER Application filed April .13, 1926, Serial No. 101,686. Renewed November 30, 1928.

This invention relatesto automatic oilburning systems and particularly to oil burning systems of the vacuum feed type adapted for installation with boilers and furnaces of the conventional type to permit the use of oil as a fuel in place of coal.

The object of the present invention is to provide an eflicient and economical oil burning system of the vacuum feed type which can be readily installed in furnaces of various kinds.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved means for igniting the oil and preventing operation of the system when the igniting means fails to operate.

Other objects and advantages will appear by reference to the following specification and the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a completed installation embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of Fig. 3 taken through the igniter;

Fig. 3 is an elevation taken on line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the thermal control unit; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a portion of a single burner installation.

The invention may be embodied in a two unit system consisting of an atomizing and vaporizing unit and an air compressing unit. The atomizing and vaporizing unit consists of one or more adjustable atomizing nozzles mounted on a base provided with an oil reservoir containing a float which automatically actuates a safety cut-ofl' oil supply valve. A supply reservoir is mounted on the base, from which the fuel oil is lifted byautomatically creating a vacuum by means of air from the compressor unit. Adjacent to the atomizing and vaporizing nozzle is an igniter or pilot burner for the purpose of igniting the atomized and vaporized oil, with a thermal safety shutter to prevent operation of the system when the igniter becomes extinguished for any reason.

' The air com ressing unit is mounted on an oil containing base and is composed of an oil sealed s ow speed rotary air compressor driven by an electric motor. An air strainer and oil reclaimer is attached to the compressor for clarifying the air and recovering the oil for the unit.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated a stand 5 supported upon adjustable legs 6 to position the apparatus horizontally is provided at one end with an upright 7 supporting one or more nozzles N,and at its opposite end with a constant level float tank 8 for controlling the feed of oil to the burner. The oil enters through pipe 9, passing through valve chamber 10, where it passes through strainer 10, thence into the float tank 8. From the float tank 8 the oil passes through pipe 11 to the nozzle N, the oil being fed upwardly through-the adjustable oil nozzle pipe 12 by the suction resulting from the ejector action of the jet from the air nozzle 18. The valve of chamber 10 is controlled by a float 14 in the bottom of the stand 5 so that when there is an overflow of oil the float 14 will be raised and through the stem 15 will press upward on foot 16 so as to tip the weight 17 passing its vertical central position, and-the dropping of the weight will turn threaded valve stem 18 to seat valve 19, shutting off the oil feed from pipe 9. The valve of the float tank 8 is controlled by float 20 contained therein so that when the oil contained in the tank 8 approaches its level the float mem ber will be raised and through the pivot arm 21 pressing downwardly on the valve stem 22 shuts ofl the oil feed to the float tank 8. lit for any reason float 20 fails to function or the valve 22 leaks or is prevented from closing, the supply of oil to the tank 8 will continue without regulation, and after tank 8 is filled would escape through the oil nozzle 12. To prevent the escape of the oil in this manner an overflow pipe 23 protected by pivoted dust cover 24 leads from the top of tank 8 into casing 5. The overflow oil passing from this pipe into casing 5 will raise float 14 and through stem 15 Weight 17 will be dropped to turn ofl' the valve 19 controlling the feed to tank 8.

To remove the surplus overflow oil from casing 5 and return it to tank 8 after the oil supply has automatically been shut off, a hand pump P is mounted on the float tank casing discharging into tank 8. The air from the nozzle 13 passes over and surrounds the oil nozzle 12' and creates a vacuum raising the oil while the velocity of air in turn has an ejector action. An igniter or pilot burner in the form of gas burner 25 is provided with gas from pipe 26 and is mounted on the upright 7 adjacent the oil nozzle 12 for the purpose of igniting the atomized oil when first starting up and to relight the oil when the burner operation is resumed after having been automatically discontinued. The U- shaped thermal unit 27 is mounted between the oil nozzle 12' and the air nozzle 13 and automatically operated to prevent the atomizing of the oil if for any reason the igniter or pilot burner becomes extinguished. The flame from the igniter plays on a block 28 attached to the thermal unit 27, and the heat of the flame expands the metal, thus the shield 29 is maintained above the space between the oil nozzle 12 and air nozzle 13. If for any reason the igniter is extinguished the thermal unit will cool and contract, dropping the shield 29 in the direct path of the air nozzle 13, and prevent the air from passing over the oil nozzle. The air from the nozzle will strikethe shield 29'and being deflected will not pass over the oil nozzle 12' to create a vacuum for feeding the oil.

To reduce the noise and prevent dirt from accumulating at the nozzles a separable flex ible strap C passes around the nozzle frames.

Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4 illustrate an embodiment of the invention employing twin nozzles which spread the flame evenly over the fire box of a furnace and ensures a wide distribution of the flame.

The atomizing and vaporizing unit is illustrated as installed in a water tube boiler having a water contained casing 30 communicating with horizontalwater tubes 31 spaced by fire tubes 32. The nozzle N abuts against a Venturi brick 33 set below the fire door. The flame from the nozzle N is directed against a back panel 34 of fire brick, and a portion of loose, broken refractory material 35 piled up against the back panel on grate 36 providing a radiating surface, the broken material increasing the area of this surface.

To obtain and regulate the admission of air to the combustion chamber of the boiler an adjustable shutter 37 is provided below the nozzle N communicating with the air space below the grate 36.

The jet issuing from the nozzle is highly inflammable and will burn with a hot flame of large volume. This flame is directed under the water tubes and through the fire tubes, finally passing out through the chimney flue. The flame is directed against the refractory material backed by the fire brick wall to cause radiation throughout the mass of refractory 4 {'5 material. The path of the flame and hot products of combustion before passing to the chimney flue has given up most of its heating properties due to its tortuous course through the refractory material, which absorbs and radiates considerable heat as the velocity of the flame and combustion gases through this material is retraded, which results in the flame and gases giving up substantially all of their heat.

An air compressing unit 38 supplies air for the atomizing and vaporizing of the oil and consists of an oil containing base 39 which supplies oil to an oil sealed rotary air compressor 40. The air compressor 40 is rotated by an electric motor 41 connected thereto by any suitable means, such as a belt 42. The air from the compressor 40 passes through an oil strainer and reclaimer 43 attached to the oil base 39 through pipe 44, and after being clarified by removal of the minute particles of lubricating oil passes to air nozzle 13 through pipe line 45. A meter 46 and a relief and regulating Valve 47 are contained in this pipe line, the relief valve forming a safety connection for the air supply to the nozzle and also controlling the volume of air to the flame. The valve is provided with apertures 48 which allows the air to escape to the atmosphere when a greater quantity is supplied by the compressor than is required for combustion purposes. The greater the volume of air allowed to pass over the oil nozzle the greater the vacuum created and the more oil drawn up, resulting in a greater combustible mixture of oil and air. Thus it is readily seen that the relief and regulating valve 45 will be the only control necessary for regulating the intensity of the flame. The relief valve is usually set to permit a predetermined amount of air to pass through the pipe line 45 to the burner, and the operation of the entire system is regulated automatically by remote control,

such as for example a thermostat control 10- cated at a distant point. The thermostat control electrically operates a switch which in turn operates the motor of the compressor when the temperature of the room falls below a predetermined degree. The air compressor immediately passes air .over the oil burner, a vacuum is created, and oil is drawn up mixed with the air and ignited by the pilot burner. If the pilot burner does not function the thermal shutter would prevent the air from passing over the oil nozzle and no oil would be drawn up because of failure to create a vacuum and no unburned combustible mixture would be forced into the boiler.

Various changes and modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

I claim:

1. In an automatic oil burning system the combination with an air compressing unit, of

means for atomizing and 'vaporizin the oil adapted to be operated by the air from the air compressing unit, and means for automatically preventing the atomizing and vaporizing of the oil, including a thermal shutter adapted to defiectthe air from the compressor unit.

2. in an automatic oil burning system the combination with an air compressing unit, of an automatic oil atomizing and vaporizing unit comprising an oil nozzle and air nozzle receiving air from said air compressing unit, an igniter for igniting the vaporized oil, and a thermal shutter automatically pass ing between the air and oil nozzles to deflect the air away from the oil nozzle upon failure of the igniter to act upon the thermal unit.

3. In an automatic oil burning system the combination with an air compressing unit, of an automatic oil atomizing and vaporizing unit comprising an oil nozzle and an air nozzle receiving air from said compressing unit, an igniter for igniting the vaporized oil, a

thermal shutter automatically passing between the air and oil nozzles upon failure of the igniter to act upon the thermal unit, and a detachable cover for the oil atomizing and vaporizing unit.

MARTIN J. BINKLEY. 

